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Dry mouth is one of the prime causes of bad breath, but not everyone has control over the moisture level of their palate. Besides being caused by smoking, aerobic exercise, heavy panting, anxiety or mouth breathing, a dry tongue may also be the result of Sjogren’s syndrome. Fortunately, TheraBreath makes a specialty product that can address bad breath caused by an arid palate.

An autoimmune disorder, Sjogren’s syndrome recently made headlines in the world of tennis. Venus Williams, widely considered to be one of the best female tennis players of all time, pointed to the condition as the reason for her late withdrawal from the U.S. Open Tournament.

The 31-year-old winner of two Open titles noted that she was relieved to finally have a diagnosis for her previously unexplained symptoms, which included exhaustion, joint pain, dry mouth, swollen fingers and itchy eyes, according to the Chicago Tribune.

These are, in fact, some of the most common indicators of Sjogren’s syndrome, a condition that has previously received little media attention.

What causes this disease? Well, it is not a “disease” in the strict sense, since it is not caused by bacteria, viruses or other pathogens. Instead, says the Mayo Clinic, Sjogren’s syndrome is an autoimmune reaction, in which the body attacks some of its own cells, starting with the glands responsible for keeping the eyes wet and the mouth moist.

Because of its signature symptom – namely, dry mouth – Sjogren’s syndrome often causes serious halitosis. Without an adequate supply of saliva on your tongue, it is only a matter of time before odor-causing bacteria begin to run amok, multiplying and giving off foul-smelling substances as they digest food particles and dead cells.

This is where TheraBreath’s mouth-wetting lozenges can come into play. While most breath mints just mask odor with mint or cinnamon, these specialty lozenges utilize a three-stage process for keeping the mouth moist and odor-free.

The moment you pop one in your mouth, its unique citrus-mint blend suffuses your palate with a fresh taste and aroma. Then, its clinical-strength ingredients go to work eliminating bacteria and neutralizing the odor compounds associated with the smell of halitosis. What remains is a clean, fresh scent.